(a) Election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) to use the appropriate percentage for the month of a binding agreement—(1) In general. For purposes of section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I), an agreement between a taxpayer and an Agency as to the housing credit dollar amount to be allocated to a building is considered binding if it—

(i) Is in writing;

(ii) Is binding under state law on the Agency, the taxpayer, and all successors in interest;

(iii) Specifies the type(s) of building(s) to which the housing credit dollar amount applies (i.e., a newly constructed or existing building, or substantial rehabilitation treated as a separate new building under section 42(e));

(iv) Specifies the housing credit dollar amount to be allocated to the building(s); and

(v) Is dated and signed by the taxpayer and the Agency during the month in which the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) (i) through (iv) of this section are met.

(2) Effect on state housing credit ceiling. Generally, a binding agreement described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section is an agreement by the Agency to allocate credit to the taxpayer at a future date. The binding agreement may include a reservation of credit or a binding commitment (under section 42(h)(1)(C)) to allocate credit in a future taxable year. A reservation or a binding commitment to allocate credit in a future year has no effect on the state housing credit ceiling until the year the Agency actually makes an allocation. However, if the binding agreement is also a carryover allocation under section 42(h)(1) (E) or (F), the state housing credit ceiling is reduced by the amount allocated by the Agency to the taxpayer in the year the carryover allocation is made. For a binding agreement to be a valid carryover allocation, the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section and §1.42-6 must be met.

(3) Time and manner of making election. An election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) may be made either as part of the binding agreement under paragraph (a)(1) of this section to allocate a specific housing credit dollar amount or in a separate document that references the binding agreement. In either case, the election must—

(i) Be in writing;

(ii) Reference section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I);

(iii) Be signed by the taxpayer;

(iv) If it is in a separate document, reference the binding agreement that meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section; and

(v) Be notarized by the 5th day following the end of the month in which the binding agreement was made.

(4) Multiple agreements—(i) Rescinded agreements. A taxpayer may not make an election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) for a building if an election has previously been made for the building for a different month. For example, assume a taxpayer entered into a binding agreement for allocation of a specific housing credit dollar amount to a building and made the election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) to apply the appropriate percentage for the month of the binding agreement. If the binding agreement subsequently is rescinded under state law, and the taxpayer enters into a new binding agreement for allocation of a specific housing credit dollar amount to the building, the taxpayer must apply to the building the appropriate percentage for the elected month of the rescinded binding agreement. However, if no prior election was made with respect to the rescinded binding agreement, the taxpayer may elect the appropriate percentage for the month of the new binding agreement.

(ii) Increases in credit. The election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I), once made, applies to any increase in the credit amount allocated for a building, whether the increase occurs in the same or in a subsequent year. However, in the case of a binding agreement (or carryover allocation that is treated as a binding agreement) to allocate a credit amount under section 42(e)(1) for substantial rehabilitation treated as a separate new building, a taxpayer may make the election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) notwithstanding that a prior election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) is in effect for a prior allocation of credit for a substantial rehabilitation that was previously placed in service under section 42(e).

(5) Amount allocated. The housing credit dollar amount eventually allocated to a building may be more or less than the amount specified in the binding agreement. Depending on the Agency's determination pursuant to section 42(m)(2) as to the financial feasibility of the building (or project), the Agency may allocate a greater housing credit dollar amount to the building (provided that the Agency has additional housing credit dollar amounts available to allocate for the calendar year of the allocation) or the Agency may allocate a lesser housing credit dollar amount. Under section 42(h)(7)(D), in allocating a housing credit dollar amount, the Agency must specify the applicable percentage and maximum qualified basis of the building. The applicable percentage may be less, but not greater than, the appropriate percentage for the month the building is placed in service, or the month elected by the taxpayer under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I). Whether the appropriate percentage is the appropriate percentage for the 70-percent present value credit or the 30-percent present value credit is determined under section 42(i)(2) when the building is placed in service.

(6) Procedures—(i) Taxpayer. The taxpayer must give the original notarized election statement to the Agency before the close of the 5th calendar day following the end of the month in which the binding agreement is made. The taxpayer must retain a copy of the binding agreement and the election statement.

(ii) Agency. The Agency must retain the original of the binding agreement and election statement and, to the extent required by Schedule A (Form 8610), “Carryover Allocation of Low-Income Housing Credit,” account for the binding agreement and election statement on that schedule.

(7) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this section. In each example, X is the taxpayer, Agency is the state housing credit agency, and the carryover allocations meet the requirements of §1.42-6 and are otherwise valid.

(b) Election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(II) to use the appropriate percentage for the month tax-exempt bonds are issued—(1) Time and manner of making election. In the case of any building to which section 42(h)(4)(B) applies, an election under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(II) to use the appropriate percentage for the month tax-exempt bonds are issued must—

(i) Be in writing;

(ii) Reference section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(II);

(iii) Specify the percentage of the aggregate basis of the building and the land on which the building is located that is financed with the proceeds of obligations described in section 42(h)(4)(A) (tax-exempt bonds);

(iv) State the month in which the tax-exempt bonds are issued;

(v) State that the month in which the tax-exempt bonds are issued is the month elected for the appropriate percentage to be used for the building;

(vi) Be signed by the taxpayer; and

(vii) Be notarized by the 5th day following the end of the month in which the bonds are issued.

(2) Bonds issued in more than one month. If a building described in section 42(h)(4)(B) (substantially bond-financed building) is financed with tax-exempt bonds issued in more than one month, the taxpayer may elect the appropriate percentage for any month in which the bonds are issued. Once the election is made, the appropriate percentage elected applies for the building even if all bonds are not issued in that month. The requirements of this paragraph (b), including the time limitation contained in paragraph (b)(1)(vii) of this section, must also be met.

(3) Limitations on appropriate percentage. Under section 42(m)(2)(D), the credit allowable for a substantially bond- financed building is limited to the amount necessary to assure the project's feasibility. Accordingly, in making the determination under section 42(m)(2), an Agency may use an applicable percentage that is less, but not greater than, the appropriate percentage for the month the building is placed in service, or the month elected by the taxpayer under section 42(b)(2)(A)(ii)(II).

(4) Procedures—(i) Taxpayer. The taxpayer must provide the original notarized election statement to the Agency before the close of the 5th calendar day following the end of the month in which the bonds are issued. If an authority other than the Agency issues the tax-exempt bonds, the taxpayer must also give the Agency a signed statement from the issuing authority that certifies the information described in paragraphs (b)(1)(iii) and (iv) of this section. The taxpayer must also retain a copy of the election statement.

(ii) Agency. The Agency must retain the original of the election statement and a copy of the Form 8609 that reflects the election statement. The Agency must file an additional copy of the Form 8609 with the Agency's Form 8610 that reflects the calendar year the Form 8609 is issued.

[T.D. 8520, 59 FR 10071, Mar. 3, 1994, as amended by T.D. 9110, 69 FR 504, Jan. 6, 2004]